Even though Saudi Arabia is distant from South Africa’s vast grasslands and Alaska’s harsh tundra, it nonetheless provides hunters and falconers with an exciting hunting experience. For many years, both residents and visitors have enjoyed going hunting in the nation.
Nonetheless, hunting may potentially negatively affect local animals. Numerous species, like the Arabian leopard, ibex, and oryx, saw a significant reduction in the past due to overhunting.
To preserve endangered species and maintain the sustainability of wildlife populations, the Kingdom has recently imposed stringent laws and restrictions controlling animal hunting in addition to a plethora of other environmentally beneficial initiatives.
The Kingdom is receiving assistance from the Special Forces for Environmental Security department in enforcing laws related to wildlife conservation. (SPA)
Anyone who wants to go hunting in Saudi Arabia has to first get the required permissions from the government. Hunting licenses are primarily of two types: commercial permits, which are used for hunting activities carried out for profit, and recreational permits, which are used for personal use.
Targeting endangered species, using automatic weapons, and hunting during mating seasons are just a few of the hunting behaviors that are outright forbidden. For many game species, there are also size and bag limitations in place to avoid overhunting and preserve healthy population levels.
To further safeguard hunters and the environment, safety laws are enforced, such as the need to wear proper hunting gear and to handle firearms safely.
Lawbreakers who breach these regulations face $21,300 in penalties and the seizure of their hunting gear. Hunting without a license and using guns is prohibited. Hunting or poaching protected species may result in jail time and heavy penalties.
The Special Forces for Environmental Security (SFES) of Saudi Arabia are responsible for enforcing these rules and regulations. By expanding its reach via the use of social media and contemporary technologies, SFES has been able to stop illicit activities like hunting, logging, and the selling of wild animals, protecting the nation’s abundant biological variety.
To enforce the conservation regulations, patrol operations have been launched in several provinces, demonstrating a proactive attitude to wildlife management. The King Salman Royal Natural Reserve is home to two Saudi citizens who were arrested last month by the SFES for hunting without a license.
Other environmental regulations of the Kingdom, such as those about illicit logging and animal grazing in forbidden areas, are also enforced by the SFES.
The Kingdom is receiving assistance from the Special Forces for Environmental Security department in enforcing laws related to wildlife conservation. (SPA) Safeguarded species and natural areas
Special regulations protect a variety of animals, including threatened species like Arabian wolves, leopards, and houbara bustards, which are terrestrial birds. Since hunting limits were put in place, populations of endangered animals, including the well-known Arabian oryx, have rebounded across the nation.
The Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Nature Reserve’s executive vice president of operations, Abdulmajeed Al-Dhaban, commended the Kingdom’s stringent hunting regulations and emphasized their crucial role in preserving the area’s natural ecosystem.
Established in 2018, the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Nature Reserve spans over 91,000 square kilometers and serves as an eco-tourism destination committed to safeguarding over 180 plant species and 60 animal species that inhabit its boundaries.
Executive vice president of operations of the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Nature Reserve, Abdulmajeed Al-Dhaban. (As Given)
A thorough set of rules governing beekeeping, admission and transit, grazing, visiting and camping, recreational activities, and sustainable fishing also apply to the reserve.
We want to achieve a careful balance between protecting the reserve’s fragile ecosystems and permitting restricted public access and usage by implementing these integrated rules. Al-Dhaban told Arab News, “Our objective is to preserve the natural wonders of this protected area while also enabling the local community and visitors to enjoy and appreciate them responsibly.”
A ground-breaking conservation initiative that restored the Arabian oryx, which had gone extinct in the wild in 1972, was carried out using the reserve. The initiative has been successful in reintroducing hundreds of oryxes into their native environment since it was established in 2021.
Additionally, Saudi Arabia has collaborated on conservation initiatives with organizations like the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the World Wildlife Fund.
On the other hand, conservationists in the Kingdom emphasize the need for a community-based strategy that involves Saudi Arabian individuals.
“We’re deeply committed to cultivating environmental awareness and involving the community in our initiatives at the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve Development Authority,” Al-Dhaban said.
Through a wide range of worthwhile initiatives, we want to support environmental preservation and sustainable development. We think that the secret to having a long-lasting, beneficial effect is enabling the community to take part in these initiatives.
Stargazing, camping, safaris, hiking, horseback riding, and camel riding are just some of the tourism activities offered by King Khaled and Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed royal reserves, which are coordinated with nearby companies. (PHOTO IARDA)
The primary goal of the authority is to ensure the preservation of future generations using year-round activities, programs, and initiatives that are open to people of all ages.
The Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve Development Authority is eager to teach children and young people the value of protecting nature’s purity and instilling in them a sense of responsibility from an early age for the environment, wildlife, and innate organisms—attacks on which are inimical to both human and religious values. The significance of protecting fauna and flora as well as each person’s obligation to protect the environment are explained straightforwardly via awareness-raising material, according to Al-Dhaban.
The Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve Development Authority hosts several family-friendly events all year long, including the Zubaida Trail Winter Festival and celebrations of holidays like Eid Al-Adha. These events incorporate environmental awareness, education, and recreation.
One of the authority’s most recent initiatives is a tree-planting campaign that involves elementary school pupils and was started in May in collaboration with the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification.
The Saudi Green Initiative Day is an expression of Saudi Arabia’s commitment to developing a sustainable culture. (SPA) “The Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve has grown more than 600,000 trees to date, so this was not the first time the reserve had organized afforestation and seedling farming initiatives with the participation of community volunteers,” Al-Dhaban said.
According to Saudi Vision 2030, the country’s ecotourism trend is growing along with the tourist sector.
Through interactive programs that foster job skills development, the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve Development Authority assists prosperous families and business owners. These efforts ultimately support biodiversity, environmental balance, and natural environment protection, as well as the promotion and preservation of local heritage and the resurgence of ecotourism.
Building stronger relationships with animals and their environments is essential for encouraging environmental protection, developing a greater appreciation for nature and wildlife, and improving human well-being via nature-based experiences.
A novel method of preservation has been attempted in Saudi Arabia, where resorts have been established within these ecosystems. Under the auspices of the Sustainable Tourism Global Center, which Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman established at the COP26 summit in 2021, Saudi companies want to develop upscale resorts and lodges to support agritourism and environmentally conscious excursions.
By combining opulent lodging with up-close encounters with animals, these resorts enable visitors to fully appreciate the splendor and strength of Saudi Arabia’s varied natural settings and, ideally, inspire concern for their future preservation.